Tag Archives: homebrew

Announcing Brew Slam 2026 – Homebrew Competition

Click Here to go to the main competition page.

Press Release

September 8th, 2026 – Toronto, ON

Inquiries about Brew Slam 2026 should be sent to: comp@gtabrews.ca

GTA Brews is excited to announce our ninth annual nation-wide homebrew competition for beer, mead, and cider: Brew Slam 2026 (#BrewSlam)!

#BrewSlam is Canada’s premier homebrew competition, with hundreds of entrants from Canada and the USA. We can’t wait to build on 2025’s massive success. That competition saw 482 entries from 129 entrants representing 7/10 provinces compete for over $19,000 in prizes, judged by 50 judges over just 3 days!

As of Sept 8th, we have already secured over $13,400 in prizes from our fabulous sponsors. We expect this will increase significantly over the next few weeks leading up to the competition. We also have a brand new medal design to present to the winners!

To make this competition a success we need as many judges and stewards as possible. Please visit our Volunteer page to learn what is involved and for instructions on how to sign up.

Continue reading Announcing Brew Slam 2026 – Homebrew Competition →

August Social: At Rouge River Brewing!

Location: Rouge River Brewing Co.
Date: Monday August 10th, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

As promised, we will head north of the 401 for our August social! For this month, we’ll meet at Rouge River brewing with no schedule other than bonding over beers.

Since this is a casual social evening, there will be no guest speakers. However, please feel free to bring your own homebrews to share this time! We are excited to have a special guest from New Zealand joining us with some of his own homebrews.

Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass!

While you are catching up with fellow club members, please remember to support our wonderful hosts. Grab a pint or two from Rouge River’s excellent draft lineup to enjoy during the night, and be sure to pick up some cans to go before you leave!

See you all there! Cheers!

Continue reading August Social: At Rouge River Brewing! →

July Social: At Bickford!

Location: Bickford Brewing Co.
Date: Monday July 13th, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

Congratulations to the Spiced Beer Competition winners!

With summer officially here, we’re taking a break from regular meetings but not from socializing. For this month, we’ll meet at Bickford brewing with no schedule other than bonding over beers.

Since this is a casual social evening, there will be no guest speakers and no official homebrew bottle sharing this time around. Just show up, grab a pint(s) from Bickford’s draft lineup, and catch up with fellow club members.

See you all there!

(And for everyone asking for a spot further north, I promise we will head north of the 401 for our August social!)

Continue reading July Social: At Bickford! →

June Meeting: Cider Mastery & Spice Competition Judging!

Location: Rorschach Brewing Co.
Date: Monday June 8th, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

Our June homebrew meeting is just around the corner, and we have a packed schedule that you definitely do not want to miss. Mark your calendars for June 8th because we are diving deep into the world of cider and finally seeing the results of our spring experiments.

Join us for a presentation by Alex who is a true cider expert and currently serves as a cider maker at Thornbury Craft Co. Once we wrap up the cider presentation, it’s time for the official judging for our Spice Competition.

Be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

Also, please don’t forget to patronize our hosts!! Rorschach Brewing offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass!

Continue reading June Meeting: Cider Mastery & Spice Competition Judging! →

Canada Homebrew Day Saturday June 6, 2026

You GOTTA See This Year’s Issue!!!!

We are pleased to announce that our 2026 edition of Canada Homebrew Day will be at Toronto Brewing!

Sat. June 6th, 2026
Toronto Brewing (3701 Chesswood Dr)
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

On Saturday June 6th, we will have two live brewing demonstrations.

  1. Eric Cousineau will be brewing outdoors on his “mobile” brewing rig; Eric may be brewing a Golden Ale as per, of all clubs, Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
  2. We expect Zack Weinberg, owner of Toronto Brewing, to dig into his bag of tricks to brew something unexpected…. terpenes perhaps?

Who’s beer will reign supreme? Be there to, at the very least, see who’s brewing process is the best (and also ask questions of our brewers)

To the winner goes the title of “Canada Homebrew Day Champion”!!! The loser gets to clean up after the brew day. (ok, who am I kidding, we all have to clean up after the brew day!!)

EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

All are welcome and we hope to see everyone there!!

If you are also brewing that day, please take some pictures and share it with our community and beyond by tagging GTA Brews and #CanadianHomebrewDay in your posts!

April Meeting: All About Dat Spice At Samara!

Location: Samara Brewing Co.
Date: Monday April 13th, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

You Drafted. You Didn’t. We All Drink.

Whether you went home with a bag of carrots, and a prayer, or wisely sat out and watched others make questionable life choices, we’re all about to level up how we use spices, herbs, and vegetables in our beer!

Join us for a presentation by an actual spice expert, who has no idea what we did at that draft and frankly might cry when they find out.

Come for the knowledge. Stay because your lemon pepper saison needs help.

Be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

Also, please don’t forget to patronize our hosts!! Samara Brewing offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass!

Continue reading April Meeting: All About Dat Spice At Samara! →
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GTA Brews Club Barrel Project

Club Barrel Fill #6

That's right, we've brought it back! GTA Brews is the proud owner of a freshly emptied Wild Turkey bourbon barrel and with it we are re-opening the Club Barrel Fill Project! The barrel will be hosted by our generous partners over at Samara Brewing Company.

A few words about the barrel: It’s a freshly emptied, 53 gallon, Wild Turkey Bourbon Barrel made of American White oak. The Wild Turkey that just left it was aged for 5 years. The barrel had been charred at the deepest level (No.4 “Alligator” char) to deliver Wild Turkey’s well known rich and full flavor.

We'll be brewing a strong Wee Heavy beer to fill this baby, affectionately dubbed: The Wee Turkey Barrel Project Beer! See below for more info on the recipe.

This is an exclusive, members-only project, where several GTA Brews members independently brew the same recipe, and then come together to add their creation to the shared bourbon barrel to let it age, mature and blossom into something awesome.

Want in on this fun members-only project? Tickets go on sale Sunday, March 15th at 12pm! It is first-come, first-served, so don't delay. The fee to participate is $12. Ticket holders get to participate in this exclusive event and will also get a sweet custom sticker for their kegs to immortalize The Turkey.

This content is only available for GTA Brews Members. Please visit our membership page to join today!

If you are already a member, don't forget to Log In!

March Meeting: Competition Draft At Rorschach!

Location: Rorschach Brewing Co.
Date: Monday March 9th, 2026
Time: 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

For our March club meeting, we’re going to be back at Rorschach Brewing Co. This month, we have something special than a regular presentation. Follow along for more details.

Instead of our usual 7pm, the meeting would start at 8pm. There’s a country music event at History music venue near Rorschach. However, feel free to drop by at your usual times to grab a bite and/or beers and hang out with fellow club members.

Be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

Also, please don’t forget to patronize our hosts!! Rorschach Brewing offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass!

Continue reading March Meeting: Competition Draft At Rorschach! →

February Meeting: At Rainhard!

Location: Rainhard Brewing Co
Date: Monday February 9th, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

I hope everyone crushed their January fitness goals. Between the shoveling and the slip-and-slide walks, we’ve all trained for the winter Olympics! Hopefully, all that fun times is behind us and Wiarton Willie got it right!

For our February club meeting, we’re going to be back at Rainhard Brewing Co. This month’s presentation topic is still being worked on. This post will be updated as soon as we have confirmation. Apologies for the delay.

Also be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

Also, please don’t forget to patronize our hosts!! Rainhard Brewing offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass!

Continue reading February Meeting: At Rainhard! →

January Meeting: Water Chemistry with Eric Cousineau!

Location: Rorschach Brewing Co.
Date: Monday January 12th, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

Water: You’ve drank it, you’ve swam in it, heck, some of you have probably even BATHED in it (at some point in the distant past). But did you know you could BREW WITH IT TOO?!

It’s time for our annual January tradition of diving deep (see what I did there?) into the world of water chemistry, and we are happy to have GTA Brews Member (and former club President) Eric Cousineau back to give us an updated presentation!

Also be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

Also, please don’t forget to patronize our hosts!! Rorschach offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass!

Continue reading January Meeting: Water Chemistry with Eric Cousineau! →

GTA Brews Survey 2026 – Now Open!

club survey - morpheus

Help us make the club better! Our club survey is now accepting submissions from now until 12pm Noon February 28th.  We use the results of this survey each year to help inform the direction of the club and identify areas of strength and opportunities to improve.

Your opinions really matter! Insight from previous surveys have kicked off initiatives like:

  • Blind Triangle Tests – interactive beer tasting to learn about and compare key brewing variables.
  • Alternating Meeting Locations – consistent East and West locations, consistent times for easier planning.
  • More Recipes –  increased integration of your excellent recipes into the club database.
  • Varied Events – Off-flavor classes, brewery meetups/presentations, Learn to Brew days are BACK!

This survey is open to both members and non-members, since we want to hear from everybody! The survey takes as little as 10 mins if you elect to answer only the mandatory questions, or a little longer if you choose to write more detailed answers (and we hope you do).

How can we make the best homebrew club in the world even better?!

This club belongs to all of us, and we want to make sure are all satisfied with the value you get for your membership. There will always be some challenges, but we are always looking for solutions and opportunities to improve. Please share your thoughts in as much detail as you are comfortable with, and we promise to read and seriously consider them.

December Meeting: Holidays Hoopla @ Bickford Brewing Co

Location: Bickford Brewing Co.
Date: Monday December 8th, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

It’s been a very eventful year of beer brewing, competitions, club meet-ups, world events and happenings. We’ve come a long way, and now it’s [finally] time to chill out a bit, relax, and have a few beers with friends. That’s right, it’s the GTA Brew’s holiday social get-together. This is one you DON’T want to miss – fellow club member and homebrewer-gone-pro Andrew McCready has invited us into his dojo at Bickford Brewing for the celebration once again. Grab a beer on tap and some cans to go!

Also be sure to SIGN-UP FOR STRUCTURED TASTINGS if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew. This is a great way to get a judge’s feedback prior to (or without) the hassle of registering for a formal competition.

Other than that, there’s no presentation this month, this meeting is all about hanging out, reminiscing about old times, sharing brews and talking beer.

Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass! And we’re giving out special bonus high-fives to anyone who wears something particularly festive to the meeting.

Continue reading December Meeting: Holidays Hoopla @ Bickford Brewing Co →

November Meeting: Brewing Sours w/ Adjuncts with Brandon Judd!

Location: Avling Brewery
Date: Monday November 10th, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

Hope everyone had a great time at Brewslam! After a break in October, we’re kicking things back off with our November club meeting at Avling Brewery.

This month we’re thrilled to have Brandon Judd from Avling Brewery joining us to share his brewing process for his sours and incorporating fruits, honey and botanicals. It’s a great chance to learn firsthand about the techniques behind one of the most refreshing and creative beer styles out there.

Also be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

Don’t forget to patronize our hosts! Avling offers a full kitchen, if you’re hungry and a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass!

Continue reading November Meeting: Brewing Sours w/ Adjuncts with Brandon Judd! →

2025 GTA Brews Advent Calendar

Exchange Date: Sunday November 30th, 2025 @ 1PMExchange Location(s): Rouge River BrewingParticipation Fee: $10 The Annual GTA Brews Advent Calendar is back for the 12th year in a row! On Sunday Novemb...

This content is only available for GTA Brews Members. Please visit our membership page to join today! If you are already a member, don't forget to Log In!

September Meeting: Gose Souring Process with Andrew McCready!

Location: Rainhard Brewing Co
Date: Monday September 8th, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

Hope everyone had a great summer break! We’re kicking things back off with our September club meeting at Rainhard Brewing Co.

This month we’re thrilled to have Andrew McCready from Bickford Brewing joining us to share his souring process for his award-winning Gose. It’s a great chance to learn firsthand about the techniques behind one of the most refreshing and creative beer styles out there.

Also be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

Also, please don’t forget to patronize our hosts!! Rainhard Brewing offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass!

Continue reading September Meeting: Gose Souring Process with Andrew McCready! →

Brew Slam 2025 – Entry Registration Open!

Entry registration is now open for Brew Slam 2025! Register and pay for your entries ASAP to avoid missing your chance to enter this once per year homebrew competition!

The entry registration and submission deadline is Saturday Oct. 18th. The fee to enter is $15/entry, or $12/entry for GTA Brews Members (see below). Visit our Rules and Submission Instructions page for all the details about submitting your entry.

GTA Brews Discount Code: ($3 discount per entry, must be logged-in to see)

As of today, we have over $10,500 in prizes up for grabs, and more prizes being secured by our Brew Slam Crew every day!

Here’s some highlights to help grab your attention!

We have some incredible medals designed by James Kennedy for 2025, and we can’t wait to award them to the winners!

In addition to an incredible prize pool for winners, here’s some other reasons you should enter your homebrew in Brew Slam 2025!

  • Quality feedback!
    • Canada’s largest BJCP judge pool
    • Including multiple National and high level ranked judges
    • Low flight size per judge to reinforce quality feedback
    • Long form scoresheets to reinforce meaningful and specific feedback
  • Award Categories announced in advance (Brew Slam 2025 Award Categories)
  • Toronto Brewer of the Year title awarded to GTA Brews member with most medal points
  • Jon Mains Award awarded to the top overall entrant with most medal points
  • Medal Categories sponsored by local breweries with expertise in that style of beer
    • Many of them also supplying Pro Brewer guest judge(s) to supplement BJCP judges for those categories
  • Entrant support available through our BJCP Competition Guide and over email at comp@gtabrews.ca when deciding how to register your entry!

Thanks for reading!

Cheers,
Eric Cousineau
Competition Organizer, Brew Slam 2025

Inquiries about Brew Slam 2025 should be sent to: comp@gtabrews.ca

Click Here to go to the main competition page.

Announcing Brew Slam 2025 – Homebrew Competition

Click Here to go to the main competition page.

Press Release

August 12th, 2025 – Toronto, ON

Inquiries about Brew Slam 2025 should be sent to: comp@gtabrews.ca

GTA Brews is excited to announce our eight annual nation-wide homebrew competition for beer, mead, and cider: Brew Slam 2025 (#BrewSlam)!

#BrewSlam is Canada’s largest homebrew competition, with hundreds of entrants from Canada and the USA. We can’t wait to build on 2024’s massive success. That competition saw 552 entries from 140 entrants representing 8/10 provinces, judged by 60 judges over just 3 days, which made it the largest homebrew competition in Canada!

As of Aug 12th, we have already secured over $8,700 in prizes from our fabulous sponsors. We expect this will increase significantly over the next few weeks leading up to the competition. We also have a brand new medal design to present to the winners!

To make this competition a success we need as many judges and stewards as possible. Please visit our Volunteer page to learn what is involved and for instructions on how to sign up.

Continue reading Announcing Brew Slam 2025 – Homebrew Competition →

Canadian Homebrew Day Saturday June 7, 2025

A Homebrew Battle
For The Ages

We are pleased to announce that our 2025 edition of Canadian Homebrew Day (CHD) will be at Toronto Brewing!

Sat. June 7th, 2025
Toronto Brewing (3701 Chesswood Dr)
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

On Saturday June 7th, we will have two live brewing demonstrations.

  1. Eric Cousineau will be attempting, again, to “hit his numbers” while brewing outdoors on his “mobile” brewing rig; Eric will be brewing a Saison!
  2. Josh Davis will be attempting retain his victor status from 2024 by beating Eric at the numbers game; Josh will ALSO be brewing a Saison!

Who will win? Who will be the victor? Who’s Saison will have the best carbonation? (judged by Darrell Kelly. . . . at some point)

To the winner goes the title of “Canadian Homebrew Day Champion”!!! The loser gets to clean up after the brew day. (ok, who am I kidding, we all have to clean up after the brew day!!)

Come One; Come All!!

All are welcome and we hope to see everyone there!!

If you are also brewing that day, please take some pictures and share it with our community and beyond by tagging GTA Brews and #CanadianHomebrewDay in your posts!

June Meeting: Back To Muddy York Brewing Co.!

Location: Muddy York Brewing Co.
Date: Monday June 9th, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

Join us in June when we head NORTH of the 401. . . and NORTH of the 407. . . and even NORTH of Hwy 7 up to the wonderful town of Stouffville Ontario to triumpantly return, and celebrate, Muddy York Brewing’s new location! While we intend this to be a celebratory mid-year social meeting we may be able to convince Jeff Manol to say a few words about the brand new brew house, brewery and location!

Also be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

And, don’t forget to patronize our hosts!! Muddy York offers an array of fine beers and it’s the perfect opportunity to grab a can or twelve on your way out.

Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass!

Continue reading June Meeting: Back To Muddy York Brewing Co.! →

April Meeting: The St.John Zone at Rorschach Brewing

Location: Rorschach Brewing Co
Date: Monday April 14th, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

Join us this April to be regaled by tales by none other than the legendary beer writer, beer judger, beer drinker and collab beer brewer Jordan St. John, on a meandering and highly entertaining talk about all things beer. You may have already read some of St. John’s work (perhaps here, or maybe here) but whether you’re familiar or not, this is a meeting you won’t want to miss.

Also be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

And, don’t forget to patronize our hosts!! Rorschach offers an array of fine beers and it’s the perfect opportunity to grab a can or twelve on your way out.

Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass!

Continue reading April Meeting: The St.John Zone at Rorschach Brewing →

March Meeting: Beer & Food Pairing with Mirella Amato

Location: Rainhard Brewing Co.
Date: Monday March 17th, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

We are thrilled to announce that our March homebrew club meeting will feature a special presentation by one of the world’s foremost experts in craft beer, none other than Toronto’s own Mirella Amato! A Grand Master BJCP Judge, Master Cicerone, award-winning author, and leading educator in beer and food pairing, Mirella has dedicated her career to shaping the craft beer industry through her expertise, passion, and dedication.

You don’t want to miss this one!

Also be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

Also, please don’t forget to patronize our hosts!! Rainhard offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass!

Continue reading March Meeting: Beer & Food Pairing with Mirella Amato →

February Meeting: The Spice Must Flow w/ Kyle Kellam

Location: Rorschach Brewing Co
Date: Monday February 10th, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

“He who controls the spice rules the universe!” Is there such thing as too much vegetable/herb/spice beer? Probably! But GTA Brews Member and Spice Lord Kyle Kellam has a borderline unhealthy obsession with finding out where the limit is.

For our February meeting Kyle will be presenting about his experiences brewing spiced beers, including his inspirations, different methods for introducing adjuncts, lessons learned, and a tasting of two freshly canned batches!

To stretch people’s brewing creativity, members are also invited to join the “The Spice! It’s In Everything Here!” Challenge, in which participants will draft from a list of Base Beer Styles and a list of Spices, from which they’ll attempt to brew a beer. Then, they can share their bottle (or be judged? To be confirmed…) with others at a future meeting!

Also be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

And, don’t forget to patronize our hosts!! Rorschach offers an array of fine beers, and in keeping with the meeting’s theme, have an especially outstanding selection of adjunct stouts, sours and lagers!

Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass!

Continue reading February Meeting: The Spice Must Flow w/ Kyle Kellam →

January Meeting: Water Chemistry with Eric Cousineau!

Location: Rainhard Brewing Co
Date: Monday January 13th, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

Water: You’ve drank it, you’ve swam in it, heck, some of you have probably even BATHED in it (at some point in the distant past). But did you know you could BREW WITH IT TOO?!

It’s time for our annual January tradition of diving deep (see what I did there?) into the world of water chemistry, and we are happy to have GTA Brews Member (and former club President) Eric Cousineau back to give us an updated presentation!

Also be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

Also, please don’t forget to patronize our hosts!! Rainhard offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass!

Continue reading January Meeting: Water Chemistry with Eric Cousineau! →

December Meeting: Holidays Hoopla @ Bickford Brewing Co

Location: Bickford Brewing Co.
Date: Monday December 9th, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

It’s been a very eventful year of beer brewing, competitions, club meet-ups, world events and happenings. We’ve come a long way, and now it’s [finally] time to chill out a bit, relax, and have a few beers with friends. That’s right, it’s the GTA Brew’s holiday social get-together. This is one you DON’T want to miss – fellow club member and homebrewer-gone-pro Andrew McCready has invited us into his dojo at Bickford Brewing for the celebration. Grab a beer on tap and some cans to go!

Also be sure to SIGN-UP FOR STRUCTURED TASTINGS if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew. This is a great way to get a judge’s feedback prior to (or without) the hassle of registering for a formal competition.

Other than that, there’s no presentation this month, this meeting is all about hanging out, reminiscing about old times, sharing brews and talking beer.

Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass! And we’re giving out special bonus high-fives to anyone who wears something particularly festive to the meeting.

Continue reading December Meeting: Holidays Hoopla @ Bickford Brewing Co →

November Meeting: Toronto’s BotY at Rainhard Brewing Co. + Advent Swap

Location: Rainhard Brewing Co
Date: Monday November 25th, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

Join us November 25th at West-End location Rainhard Brewing to get inside the mysterious brain of Toronto’s Brewer of the Year and Last Brewer Standing Wuilmer Venegas. He’ll be walking us through his process of creating award winning beer recipes from scratch, and sharing some secrets along the way. Note that we are meeting at a slightly later date than normal due to Brewslam activities earlier in the month.

And for those with Advent Calendar tickets, we will also be taking this opportunity to swap our 24 beers! Come prepared with your prelabeled beers and a carrying box!

And as always, remember to bring your tasting glass!

Also be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

Don’t forget to patronize our hosts! Rainhard offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Continue reading November Meeting: Toronto’s BotY at Rainhard Brewing Co. + Advent Swap →

Brew Slam 2024 – Entry Cap Raised

Effective immediately, the per-entrant cap for Brew Slam 2024 has been raised 10 entries per person!

There are just over 4 weeks left until the entry deadline for Brew Slam 2024! Get your entries registered today to avoid missing out!

As of today, we have over $16,390 in prizes up for grabs, and more prizes being secured by our Brew Slam Crew every day!

Here’s some highlights to help grab your attention!

  • Spike CF-5 Fermenter (Sponsored by Toronto Brewing for TBOY)
    • Toronto Brewer Of The Year (GTA Brews member with most points in competition)
  • 6 Gallon Oak Barrel from County Cooperage
  • Tilt Pro hydrometer
  • Boel iTap
  • LOTS of yeast from Escarpment and Lallemand for all medal winners!
  • RAPT hydrometers / thermometers from Kegland
  • Stainless steel kettles!
  • Lots more! Visit Brew Slam 2024 Sponsors, Awards, & Prizes for the full list!

We have some incredible medals designed by James Kennedy for 2024, and we can’t wait to award them to the winners!

In addition to an incredible prize pool for winners, here’s some other reasons you should enter your homebrew in Brew Slam 2024!

  • Quality feedback!
    • Canada’s largest BJCP judge pool
    • Including multiple National and high level ranked judges
    • Low flight size per judge to reinforce quality feedback
    • Long form scoresheets to reinforce meaningful and specific feedback
  • Get your beer judged by our guest Fred Mullner
    • BJCP Grandmaster III and Mid-Atlantic Regional Rep!
  • Award Categories announced in advance (Brew Slam 2024 Award Categories)
  • Toronto Brewer of the Year title awarded to GTA Brews member with most medal points
  • Jon Mains Award awarded to the top overall entrant with most medal points
  • Medal Categories sponsored by local breweries with expertise in that style of beer
    • Many of them also supplying Pro Brewer guest judge(s) to supplement BJCP judges for those categories
  • Entrant support available through our BJCP Competition Guide and over email at comp@gtabrews.ca when deciding how to register your entry!

Thanks for reading!

Cheers,
Eric Cousineau
Competition Organizer, Brew Slam 2024

Inquiries about Brew Slam 2024 should be sent to: comp@gtabrews.ca

Click Here to go to the main competition page.

October Meeting: Hop Rubbing with Hops Connect at Rorschach Brewing Co.

Location: Rorschach Brewing Co
Date: Monday October 7th, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

Join us October 7th at East-End location Rorschach Brewing for a rare opportunity to check out the 2024 hop harvest with hop experts from Hops Connect. We’ll be hand-rubbing some varieties, talking through the aroma and flavor notes, and maybe even comparing them to their extract versions, live!

And as always, remember to bring your tasting glass!

Also be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

Don’t forget to patronize our hosts! Rorschach offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Continue reading October Meeting: Hop Rubbing with Hops Connect at Rorschach Brewing Co. →

2024 GTA Brews Advent Calendar

Exchange Date: Monday November 25th, 2024 @ 7 PM (Don't be late!)Exchange Location(s): Rainhard Brewing Co.Participation Fee: $10 The Annual GTA Brews Advent Calendar is back for the 11th year in a ro...

This content is only available for GTA Brews Members. Please visit our membership page to join today! If you are already a member, don't forget to Log In!

September Meeting: The Kids are All Right at Rainhard Brewing Co.

Location: Rainhard Brewing Co
Date: Monday September 9th, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

Join us September 9th at West-End location Rainhard Brewing for beers, cheers, tears (hopefully of joy) and fears (of empty beer glasses). In other words, a typical GTA Brews get-together. Our ex (president, that is), who we’re still not quite over, David Larocque will be regaling us of his brewing experiences with kids and how these many small hands have helped his brewing efficiency.

And as always, remember to bring your tasting glass!

Also be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

Don’t forget to patronize our hosts! Rainhard offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Continue reading September Meeting: The Kids are All Right at Rainhard Brewing Co. →

Announcing Brew Slam 2024 – Homebrew Competition

Click Here to go to the main competition page.

Press Release

August 18th, 2024 – Toronto, ON

Inquiries about Brew Slam 2024 should be sent to: comp@gtabrews.ca

GTA Brews is excited to announce our seventh annual nation-wide homebrew competition for beer, mead, and cider: Brew Slam 2024 (#BrewSlam)!

#BrewSlam is Canada’s largest homebrew competition, with hundreds of entrants from Canada and the USA. We can’t wait to build on 2023’s massive success. That competition saw 502 entries from 159 entrants representing 9/10 provinces, judged by 55 judges over just 3 days, which made it the largest homebrew competition in Canada!

We are excited to announce that our special guest judge for 2024 is Fred Mullner! He is a highly skilled BJCP Grandmaster III judge hailing from Pennsylvania, as well as BJCP rep for the Mid-Atlantic region.

As of Aug 18th, we have already secured over $10,740 in prizes from our fabulous sponsors. We expect this will increase significantly over the next few weeks leading up to the competition. We also have a brand new medal design to present to the winners!

To make this competition a success we need as many judges and stewards as possible. Please visit our Volunteer page to learn what is involved and for instructions on how to sign up.

Continue reading Announcing Brew Slam 2024 – Homebrew Competition →

August Meeting: Triangle Taste Testing at Rorschach Brewing Co.

Location: Rorschach Brewing Co.
Date: Monday August 12th, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

We’re back in the East end to cool off with some brewskis with our buds. We’ll have our Structured Tastings, some announcements, some social time and a new exBeeriment complete with blind triangle taste test! You won’t want to miss it!

And as always, remember to bring your tasting glass!

Also be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

Don’t forget to patronize our hosts! Rorschach offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Continue reading August Meeting: Triangle Taste Testing at Rorschach Brewing Co. →

July Meeting: Last Brewer Standing Finals! at Rouge River Brewing Co.

Location: Rouge River Brewing Co.
Date: Monday July 8th, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

This month we go slightly north and slightly east to visit our friends at Rouge River Brewing Co. We’re taking a bit of a relaxed approach for this first “real” month of the summer by having our Last Brewer Standing Finals at Rouge River Brewing.

We’ll have our Structured Tastings, some announcements, the judging of the Last Brewer Standing Finals between James Kennedy and Wuilmer Venegas, lots of social time and we’ll be able to chat with Jordan Mills of Rouge River Brewing. As always, remember, bring your tasting glass!

Also be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

Don’t forget to patronize our hosts! Rouge River offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Continue reading July Meeting: Last Brewer Standing Finals! at Rouge River Brewing Co. →

June Meeting: Rendez-vous at Rorschach

Location: Rorschach Brewing Co.
Date: Monday June 10th, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

Muddy York’s abrupt departure from Toronto had us reeling for a little bit, but thankfully the good folks at Rorschach Brewing have offered to host us for our East Side rendezvous. Come grab a pint, some food (yes, the kitchen is planned to be open for a short time!) and catch up with your brewing buddies.

Brewer and co-founder Matthew Reiner will be there for a talk on Rorschach’s approach to brewing. These guys make some whacky beers so be sure to pick Matt’s brain. And as always, remember, bring your tasting glass!

Also be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

Don’t forget to patronize our hosts! Rorschach offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Continue reading June Meeting: Rendez-vous at Rorschach →

April Meeting: Q&A at True History

Location: True History Brewing
Date: Monday April 8th, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

Brewer and co-founder Adam Shier will be hosting us at True History Brewing for a talk on the genesis of True History, his approach to traditional German brewing, and a guided tasting of some of the current masterpieces on tap. Come prepared with some questions for Adam, and remember, bring your tasting glass!

Also be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

Don’t forget to patronize our hosts! True History offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Continue reading April Meeting: Q&A at True History →

March Meeting: The Road to Judician

Location: Rainhard Brewing
Date: Monday March 11th, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

What’s the difference between a Maibock and a Doppelbock? Is this SRM appropriate? Does my beer have notes of snozzberries? How are babies made?? These are questions only a certified Cicerone or BJCP judge can answer. Learn how to become one with Cicerone, BJCP judge and GTA Brews director Onur Çaka this month at Rainhard Brewing. Come share a beer and learn about the process of becoming a cicerone and BJCP judge from one of our own. And remember, bring your tasting glass!

Also be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

Don’t forget to patronize our hosts! Rainhard offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Continue reading March Meeting: The Road to Judician →

February Meeting: Avling

Location: Avling Brewery
Date: Monday February 12th, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

We’re exploring more of the GTA this month with a visit to Avling Brewery. Brandon from Avling will be giving us some insight on the mashing process for lagers and mixed fermentations, as well as LoDo (low oxygen) brewing, blending and bottle conditioning. We’ll also have a hands-on tasting component of Avling beers…so remember, bring your tasting glass! And homebrew is welcome too of course!

Also be sure to SIGN-UP for structured tastings if you’d like some feedback on your latest brew.

Don’t forget to patronize our hosts! Avling offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Continue reading February Meeting: Avling →

January Meeting: Wet & Wild – Intro to Brewing Water with Eric Cousineau!

Location: Rainhard Brewing Co
Date: Monday January 8th, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

It’s 2024; a new year and the perfect time to hone our technical brewing skills. To kick things off, as is now traditional, Eric Cousineau will be focusing on the controversial and mysterious dihydrogen monoxide molecule, a colourless and odourless chemical compound also referred to by some as DHMO, Hydrogen Hydroxide, Hydronium Oxide, or simply by its “street” name: “water.”

Despite this nefarious chemical being found to cause sweating and urination, being a major component of acid rain, contributing to erosion, decreasing the effectiveness of automobile brakes, and being deadly if inhaled, it’s still the #1 ingredient of beer at nearly 95%… More info on this in the video below:

Come visit us at Rainhard Brewing to get educated and learn how to manage this problematic molecule.

We’ll also be re-establishing the long lost art of Structured Tastings at the beginning of this meeting. Bring some homebrew (and some thick skin (just kidding)) to get an expert critique from BJCP-minded judges on what’s working for the beer, and how you might improve it further. Don’t worry, it’s all good-spirited and with the intent of helping everyone (including the judges) improve.

Also, please don’t forget to patronize our hosts!! Rainhard offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

And, Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass!

Continue reading January Meeting: Wet & Wild – Intro to Brewing Water with Eric Cousineau! →

Member Profile: Dan Mills

 Dan Mills

What is your occupation (outside homebrewing)?

I have a degree in survey engineering and specializes in forensic measurements….long winded and technical way of saying that I take accurate measurements from photos and videos for use in legal cases.

What got you into homebrewing?

I have always loved procedural, technical and process driven things…(see occupation 😊 ). The process of making beer falls squarely into that. I had thoughts of opening a brewery, as many of us have had, and decided working on some recipes that the first step. I have given up the dream of a brewery for the time being but still am working on brewing and recipes.

Continue reading Member Profile: Dan Mills →

December Meeting: Holiday Party & Muddy York Farewell

Location: Muddy York Brewing Co.
Date: Monday December 11th, 2023
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

It’s that time of year again, and we’ll be ringing it in with a festive holiday social get-together at our old stomping grounds Muddy York Brewing. This is one you DON’T want to miss, as it is likely our last opportunity to enjoy the space & hospitality of Muddy York’s 22 Cranfield Rd location (more on that below).

In addition to socializing, spreading holiday cheer and sharing homebrew, we’ll also be kicking off the quarter finals of Last Brewer Standing. Competitors should arrive around 7pm with their bottles ready for judging (and feel free to bring another bottle or two for sharing…).

Other than that, there’s no presentation this month, this meeting is all about hanging out, reminiscing about old times, sharing brews and talking beer.

Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass!

Continue reading December Meeting: Holiday Party & Muddy York Farewell →

November Meeting: Lager Brewing with Escarpment Labs

Location: Rainhard Brewing Co
Date: Monday November 13th, 2023
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

The yeast gods smile upon us – Escarpment Labs is back! Join us this November to learn the ins and outs of brewing with the elusive and fastidious beasts called Saccharomyces pastorianus ( also known as lager yeast)! Crispy Bois incoming. This meeting will be back in the West End at our familiar Rainhard Brewing Co. spot!

It wouldn’t be a homebrewing meeting without homebrew, so bring your latest creation and don’t forget to bring your tasting glass! Bonus points if it’s Brew Slam branded…

Also, don’t forget to patronize our hosts! Rainhard offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Continue reading November Meeting: Lager Brewing with Escarpment Labs →

October Meeting: Yeast Flavour & Biotransformation with Escarpment Labs & Rorschach

Location: Rorschach Brewing Co.
Date: Monday October 16th, 2023
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

Join us this October for a deep dive into yeast flavour and biotransformation (is it real, how real is it, can we make it realer?!) with premier yeast provider Escarpment Labs. We’re temporarily departing from our regular meeting spots this month – this meeting will be taking place at Rorschach Brewing Co.!

Our hosts at Rorschach are excited to have us, and have even gone so far as to request that our members share their homebrew with the staff! So, bring your latest creation and don’t forget to bring your tasting glass!

Also, don’t forget to patronize our hosts!! Rorschach offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Continue reading October Meeting: Yeast Flavour & Biotransformation with Escarpment Labs & Rorschach →

GTA Brews Survey 2023 – Now Open!

club survey - morpheus

Help us make the club better, and win prizes while you do it! Our club survey is now accepting submissions from now until 12pm Noon November 14th.  We use the results of this survey each year to help inform the direction of the club and identify areas of strength and opportunities to improve.

Your opinions really matter! Insight from previous surveys have kicked off initiatives like:

      • “GTA Bux” – coupon codes to reward members who volunteer their valuable time to help us execute our events and services.
      • Blind Triangle Tests – interactive beer tasting to learn about and compare key brewing variables.
      • Alternating Meeting Locations – consistent East and West locations, consistent times for easier planning.
      • More Recipes –  increased integration of your excellent recipes into the club database.
      • Varied Events – Off-flavor classes, brewery meetups/presentations, Learn to Brew days are BACK!

This survey is open to both members and non-members, since we want to hear from everybody! The survey takes as little as 10 mins if you elect to answer only the mandatory questions, or a little longer if you choose to write more detailed answers (and we hope you do).

How can we make the best homebrew club in the world even better?!

Participants will be entered into a draw for one of three $5 GTA Bux coupons or a $20 gift card from Toronto Brewing! Thanks to our local homebrew stores for donating to help encourage participation; please support them with your patronage!

This club belongs to all of us, and we want to make sure are all satisfied with the value you get for your membership. There will always be some challenges, but we are always looking for solutions and opportunities to improve. Please share your thoughts in as much detail as you are comfortable with, and we promise to read and seriously consider them.

2023 GTA Brews Advent Calendar

Exchange Date: Sunday November 26th, 2023 @ 11:30 AM (Don't be late!)Exchange Location(s): Muddy York Brewing CoParticipation Fee: $10 The Annual GTA Brews Advent Calendar is back for the 10th year in...

This content is only available for GTA Brews Members. Please visit our membership page to join today! If you are already a member, don't forget to Log In!

Announcing Brew Slam 2023 – Homebrew Competition

Click Here to go to the main competition page.

Press Release

September 1st, 2023 – Toronto, ON

Inquiries about Brew Slam 2023 should be sent to: comp@gtabrews.ca

GTA Brews is excited to announce our sixth annual nation-wide homebrew competition for beer, mead, and cider: Brew Slam 2023 (#BrewSlam)!

The competition has been on hiatus since 2019 due to the global pandemic and the club is so excited to finally bring the competition back for 2023! We are so thankful for the entrants and judges that reached out to us the past few years to express their desire to see the competition come back, and we can’t wait to return to building on 2019’s massive success. That competition saw 819 entries from 281 entrants representing 9/10 provinces, judged by 77 judges over just 3 days, which made it the largest homebrew competition in Canada!

We are ecstatic to have homebrewing luminary Annie Johnson attending as our guest judge of honour (Oct 27-29) to help ring in our 6th year!

Continue reading Announcing Brew Slam 2023 – Homebrew Competition →

Member Profile: Shane Schlesinger

Shane Schlesinger

What is your occupation (outside homebrewing)?

I’m a high school science teacher with a background in Biology.

What got you into homebrewing?

Gigging in bands over the years at beer festivals and gastropubs introduced me to the more mainstream craft breweries, as well as a variety of European styles. I actually played in a band with Zack Weinberg many years ago around the time he was just starting up Toronto Brewing – he used to bring homebrew to rehearsals, which put the idea of brewing one day in the back of my mind. Years later when my wife and I started dating, she introduced me to a lot of great local craft beer and got me hooked. Not long after, she bought me a one-gallon Brooklyn Brewshop homebrew kit as a Chrismukkah gift. I brewed a couple of batches, loved the process, and I have been brewing ever since.

Continue reading Member Profile: Shane Schlesinger →

June Meeting: Last Brewer Standing Judging And A Summer Send Off!

Location: Muddy York Brewing Co.
Date: Monday June 12th, 2023
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

Can you believe that we’re already half way through the year? It’s JUNE and we’re back at recent winner of the Canadian Brewery Of The Year; Muddy York Brewing Co. For this meeting we are focusing on our Last Brewer Standing Judging (Style: California Common). There will be plenty of social time, some announcements and some discussion of where we may want to go for social excursions in July / August!

As we are now back to in-person meetings, please be respectful of the presenters and keep your chatting to a minimum.

Also, please don’t forget to patronize our hosts!! Muddy York offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass!

Continue reading June Meeting: Last Brewer Standing Judging And A Summer Send Off! →

Canadian Homebrew Day

Canadian Homebrew Day Graphic

We are pleased to announce that our 2023 edition of Canadian Homebrew Day (CHD) will be in-person at Toronto Brewing!

Sat. June 3rd, 2023
Toronto Brewing (3701 Chesswood Drive, Unit 115)
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

On Saturday June 3rd, we will have a live brewing demonstration and be available to answer questions and promote the hobby!

GTA Brews Members will be present and brewing on club equipment! Come, see, support and chat with fellow members and members of the public about the joys of homebrewing!

Recipe: Bia-Hoi by Chi-Linh Dinh

This year’s recipe, now available in the club recipe database, is Chi-Llinh Dinh’s “Bia Hoi” (Vietnamese for ‘fresh beer’). Chi created this recipe to emulate the type of beer her father and his friends used to drink back home in Vietnam! It’s a light (about 4% ABV), refreshing lager that’s meant to be drank very fresh once it’s fermented!

If you are indeed brewing that day, please take some pictures and share it with our community and beyond by tagging GTA Brews and #CanadianHomebrewDay in your posts!

May Meeting: Some More Exbeerimentation with Josh Davis!

Location: Rainhard Brewing
Date: Monday May 8th, 2023
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

It’s already May and we’re going “back to the future”! We’ll be back, for the first time in a long time, at Rainhard Brewing!! Rainhard will be our West Side meeting location moving forward. For this meeting we have Josh Davis, BJCP judge and one of our new members over the last year will be discussing another Exbeeriment! This time it’s a Pale Ale triangle test! There will be some announcements and social time as well

As we are now back to in-person meetings, please be respectful of the presenters and keep your chatting to a minimum.

Also, please don’t forget to patronize our hosts!! Rainhard offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass!

Continue reading May Meeting: Some More Exbeerimentation with Josh Davis! →

March Meeting: Some Exbeerimentation with Josh Davis!

Location: Muddy York Brewing
Date: Monday March 13th, 2023
Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

March is coming in like a lion and for this month’s club meeting we’re introducing something new! Josh Davis, BJCP judge and one of our new members over the last year will be discussing an Exbeeriment! There will also be social time and Shane Martin will also have his Exbeerimental beer to share and discuss as well!

As we are now back to in-person meetings, please be respectful of the presenters and keep your chatting to a minimum.

Also, please don’t forget to patronize our hosts!! Muddy York offers a wide selection of fine beers to go so don’t hesitate to grab some especially if you don’t get out to see them as often as you’d like!

Don’t forget to bring your tasting glass!

Continue reading March Meeting: Some Exbeerimentation with Josh Davis! →